Free public Wi-Fi is now available for shoppers and visitors to Blaby Town Centre.

Available on Leicester Road and Lutterworth Road, the installation of Wi-Fi will see visitors to Blaby Town Centre able to save on their mobile data charges and learn about the latest events and offers from local businesses.

The one-time registration can be accessed by selecting Blaby Free Wi-Fi and logging in via Facebook or the registration form. Once logged, the mobile device will connect automatically to the free Wi-Fi every time you visit Blaby Town Centre in the future.

All local businesses have the opportunity to be involved with Blaby Wi-Fi and advertise offers and events to those who sign up for email updates.

Funding for Wi-Fi in Blaby Town Centre has come from Blaby District Council and the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) via a grant awarded by Leicestershire County Council.

A project between the County Council and District Councils has been undertaken to enable free Wi-Fi availability in towns across the county. Independent research has shown the positive value access to free Wi-Fi for shoppers has on town centres.

John Richardson, Strategic Director at Blaby District Council said: “We are delighted to see the launch of free Wi-Fi in Blaby. We’re always looking for ways to improve the experience for visitors to our local town centre and research has shown this initiative will bring benefits for the local businesses.

“We hope the free Wi-Fi and the information it will provide information about offers and future events will encourage more visits and longer stays. This work emphasises our commitment to Blaby Town Centre as an integral part of making the district a great place to live, work and visit.”

More information about Blaby WiFi can be found on www.blaby.gov.uk.

 

Blaby District Council has won a major national award after being shortlisted in the annual LGC Awards for the New Lubbesthorpe development.

The Council was shortlisted in the Housing Initiative category, which looked at how local authorities devise imaginative solutions to ease problems including a shortage of both market and affordable housing.

New Lubbesthorpe will be built over the next 20 years and have 4,250 homes on completion. The Council has ensured that 873 of these will be affordable homes. Over 200 properties are now occupied; with up to 315 homes a year being completed.

Featuring more than 300 acres of open space, New Lubbesthorpe will also have a district centre with community, health and leisure facilities as well a secondary school and two primary schools. The first primary school is under construction and set to open in September.

One key area of judging was Blaby District Council’s ‘ability to work with other organisations and members of the public to provide solutions.’ Since the first houses became occupied, a dedicated Community Worker has been employed to create a close-knit neighbourhood.

The Council’s commitment to employment, skills and training in the district have seen placements, apprenticeships and work experience secured for local people on the New Lubbesthorpe development, enabling them to start their careers.
Six other councils, including Norwich City Council and a joint bid from 15 local authorities in Essex competed in the Housing Initiative category.

John Richardson, Strategic Director at Blaby District Council said: “We are so proud to be recognised by the LGC. This award is testament to the hard work of the team of staff who have worked over the last decade to take New Lubbesthorpe from a vision to an award-winning development.

“Since ground was broken in 2015 we have worked with house builders and landowners to deliver a superb new area of the district for families to make their home and enhance the District of Blaby as a great place to live, work and visit.”

The awards ceremony took place at London’s Grosvenor House venue on 13 March 2019.

Blaby District residents will continue to benefit from a successful Leicestershire-wide partnership, which helps people remain independent in their own homes, for a further three years.

Lightbulb is a centralised, integrated housing support service. It is hosted by Blaby District Council, in partnership with Leicestershire County Council, district councils, the county’s Clinical Commissioning Groups, Leicestershire Partnership Trust, and University Hospitals of Leicester.

During its first year, Lightbulb reduced waiting times for minor housing adaptations and been able to deal with the casework inherited by the service when it was first rolled out across the county.

Since full launch in October 2017, Lightbulb’s work has helped over 4,000 people across the county. The collaborative working has led to a reduction in waiting times and the reduction in stages, with requests for a level access shower now resolved in 13 stages, as opposed to 27 previously.

96% of service users answered yes to the question: “Has the service achieved everything you wanted.”

It has saved an estimated £360,000 for the local economy, with medium to long-term savings estimated at around £2.1 million.

Councillors from all other district councils have agreed to extend the service for the next three years. Blaby District’s Full Council meeting has also agreed to the Council continuing to host the partnership at its Narborough offices.

Councillor Lee Breckon, Portfolio Holder for Community Services, said: “We are delighted to continue to host this award-winning and innovative partnership. The dedicated team have made Lightbulb the success it is, and their work has made such a positive difference to the lives of people across Leicestershire.

“The service will continue to improve over the coming years, ensuring that the service is accessible for anyone who needs it, and helps to make vital savings for the local health economy.”

The pioneering Lightbulb project has been recognised with three awards, named ‘Best Collaborative Working Initiative’ by the Association for Public Service Excellence and Commended at the Home Improvement Agency Awards. It was also named best Public/Public Partnership at the 2018 Local Government Chronicle Awards.

Any residents requiring minor or major adaptations can contact Lightbulb by calling 0116 305 0004 or visit www.leics.gov.uk.

Blaby District Council has worked with East Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to introduce urgent care services at Enderby Leisure Centre from April.

Earlier in the year the CCG considered the views of residents and identified a large demand for services in the Blaby district area, with more than 1,600 patients a year travelling to other sites within East Leicestershire and Rutland for out-of-hours care. The decision to introduce a new service was taken and the CCG invited patients and stakeholders to say which of two shortlisted locations they felt would be most appropriate for the new service.

Glenfield Surgery and Enderby Leisure Centre had been identified from a long list of potential locations as being suitable. Over seven hundred people shared their views and two-thirds felt Enderby was the best option due to its more central location. The reasons for choosing a preferred option were also taken into account in making the decision to use the leisure centre.

The Leisure Centre, owned by Blaby District Council, will be operated by Sports and Leisure Management under a new long-term contract currently being finalised. A £4.5m investment by the Council will see improved facilities, including a bigger fitness suite, café, sauna and steam rooms as well as 3G pitches.

Once opened, the work of both the CCG and Blaby District Council will see Enderby Leisure Centre become home to the first ‘health hub’ in Leicestershire.

The new centre will see services provided for patients at times when GP practices are closed – on weekday evenings from 6:30pm to 9pm and at weekends and on bank holidays from 9am to 7pm. Patients will be able to walk-in to access healthcare, and appointments will be offered to those calling NHS 111 if their symptoms require it. Patients will also be able to pre-book weekday evening, weekend and bank holiday appointments via their GP practice.

Councillor Terry Richardson, Leader of Blaby District Council, said: “This is excellent news for both district residents and for Enderby Leisure Centre. We have worked hard to help the CCG give greater access to local health services.

“We’re proud to continue our commitment working with local partners to find new and innovative ways to deliver service success. Linking health and leisure services together can only encourage healthier lifestyles.”

ELRCCG’s Deputy Chief Operating Officer Paula Vaughan said “Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their views with us on this. We are pleased to announce that the new service will be based at Enderby Leisure Centre. We know that this type of locally based service is valued very highly by our residents. Patients in the area will no longer have to travel outside the district to access urgent care when their GP surgery is closed.”

Work has begun converting rooms in the leisure centre and patients will be able to begin using the new facility from April.

Three residents have been fined by Leicester Magistrates’ Court after failing to ensure their dogs were wearing an identity tag after being picked up as a stray.

The Control of Dogs Order (1992) says that a dog in a public place must wear a collar or bearing the name and address (including postcode) of the owner engraved or written on it, or engraved on a tag.Under the law Blaby District Council has no option to offer a fixed penalty notice, with all cases being prosecuted at a Magistrates’ Court.

Brian McFarlane of Queens Road, Blaby had his Staffordshire Bull Terrier picked up as a stray at the Texaco Petrol Station on Lutterworth Road, Blaby. He entered a plea of not guilty but did not attend court. Mr McFarlane’s case was proven in absence and he was found guilty. He was fined £320 and ordered to pay £40 in costs and a £32 victim surcharge.

Kay Merry of Earl Smith Close, Whetstone, was ordered to pay £225 after her Collie was found on Attfield Drive, Whetstone as a stray. She entered a guilty plea and was fined £53, ordered to pay £140 in costs and a £32 victim surcharge.

The German Shepherd of John Ashmore was picked up as a stray on Seine Lane, Enderby. Mr Ashmore, of Desford Road, Enderby, pleaded guilty to the offence and was given a conditional discharge. He was also ordered to pay £140 in costs and to pay a £20 victim surcharge.

All three dogs picked up by the Council were wearing collars, but failed to have any identifiable tag attached. Tags can be bought and engraved from as little as £2.50 online, or from pet shops across the local area.

Councillor Iain Hewson, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Regulatory Services, said: “We want to reiterate how important it is for dogs to have an identifiable collar or tag when out in a public area. Complying with the law means you are likely to get your dog back much quicker and not picked up by us as a stray.

“We know that dogs can sometimes accidentally get out into a public area unattended, and we hope these fines continue to raise awareness and ensure that in any scenario a dog that can easily be identified can be returned quickly by anyone.”

For advice on the law, residents can email the Senior Animal Services Officer via .